Island



(No Model.)

' J. H. VINTON.

BUTTON FASTENBR.

No. 446,089. Patentedfeb. 10, 1891 wwwsssas. I INVENTOR- NITEED STATES ATENT Fries.

JOHN H. VIJTON, OFBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE HEATON-PENINSULAR BUTTQN FASTENER COMPANY, OF PROVI DENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

BUTTON-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 446,089, dated liebruary 10, 1891.

Application filed February 26, 1890. Serial No. 341,818. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. VINToN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Button Fasteners; and I do declare the following-to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable Others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention. has for its object to provide a two-prong or wire button-fastener of new and improved construction, whereby certain objectionable features existing in fasteners of this class now in use are obviated and a more reliable article produced. The class of fasteners referred to are used mainly to secure an eye-shank button to boots, shoes, and the like, and in order to secure the button to the fabric the prongs are bent over and clinched on the under surface of said fabric, the eye of the button meantime resting in a loop in the crown or arch of the fastener, specially formed for this purpose. \Vhen a strain is brought to bear on the button, the fastener tips toward the line of the strain, and unless the fabric be firmly clamped by the fastener said fabric will soon weaken and the fastener turn around and pull through the fabric. By reason of my improvement I am enabled to insure a firm attachment of the button to the fabric, with no possibility of its turning in said fabric or of cutting or wearing its way through the same. To accomplish this end I employ a wire elliptical in cross-section and bent to form a loop for the reception of the eye of the button, with a bearing-surface on each side thereof, from which project sharpened prongs, which stand at right angles to said bearing-surfaces, all as will be hercinafter more fully described.

Figure 1 is afront view of my improved fastener. Fig. 2 representsa section through a: :0 of Fig. 3. Fig.3 is a side elevation of my improved fastener. Fig. 4 is a front view of the same, with button as secured to the fabric. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same, showing a section through line 0 0 of Fig. 4.

In carrying out my improvement the wire is first cut to the proper length, andis then bent or offset at the center of its length to form the loop l for the reception of the eye of a button. The free ends of the wire are then bent downward parallel with each other, at equal dis ance from the loop 1, forming bearing-surfaces 2 2, one on each side of said loop, and the prongs 3 3 at the outer extremi-- ties of said bearingsurfaces, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The wire from which the fastener is made is elliptical in cross-section, as represented in Fig. 2, and the result attained by the use of this form of wire is readily appreciated. The fastener, with the button resting in the loop 1, is secured to fabric 4, as shown in Fig. 4, the prongs 3 3, after passing through said fabric, being clinched on the under surface thereof, securely clamping said fabric. The ends of the prongs 3 3 are sheared at an angle with said prongs, and form short rounded ends, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, which readily penetrate the material to which the fastener is attached, and when secured to the fabric, as in Fig. 4, the said ends cannot cut the fabric or be pulled through the same, as a broad smooth rounded surface is always presented against the fabric. In fact, the entire portion of the fastener in contact with the fabric when attached thereto presents a broad smooth rounded surface, and when a strain is brought to bear on the button in use, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the fabric is notinjured, as there are no sharp corners or edges in contact. The button has free movement in the loop of the fastener, and the surface of said fastener, other than that in contact with the fabric to which it is attached, is smooth and presents no edges or corners to abrade 

